In general, cars and light trucks sold in the United States are better built and last longer. The period when cars built by Chrysler, Ford and General Motors were considered inferior to those made in Japan and Germany has passed. Widely followed car owner surveys from researchers J.D. Power and Consumer Reports support this.
Durability and quality seem to have extended the life of cars and light trucks. The average number of years an American car has been on the road is nearly 12, and that regularly rises. Some vehicles might be labeled super-durable. These are ones that have been driven over 200,000 miles. Based on research from iSeeCars, only 1% of vehicles make it that far. They set out to find those cars most likely to reach 200,000 miles.
iSeeCars looked at 11.8 million preowned cars sold in 2020. They checked the odometers when they were listed for sale. iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer remarked on the study results: “While trucks and truck-based SUVs dominate the list, two Toyota hybrids and the Avalon sedan also make the list, confirming there is a reliable Toyota available for a wide range of consumers.”
Of the vehicles on the list, 10 were sport utility vehicles and three were pickups, with one each of a sedan, a minivan and a hybrid hatchback.
The leader by far was the Toyota Land Cruiser, with 16.3% of them having odometers over 200,000. This is the Toyota SUV flagship. The base price for the 2021 model is $85,565. With accessories, the price can rise above $90,000. Unfortunately, the Land Cruiser will be discontinued for sale in the United States after this model year. Motor Trend reports that the Land Cruiser is Toyota’s oldest nameplate. Some in the industry suspect that Toyota wants to move customers to its Lexus LX, a vehicle similar to Land Cruiser. Lexus is the Toyota luxury brand.
Next on the list is the Toyota Sequoia. This is one level below the Land Cruiser, based on price, across the Toyota SUV lineup. A total of 11.2% of these currently on the road have been driven over 200,000 miles.
There is quite a drop to the next two vehicles, which are SUV behemoths of Ford and Chevy. Some 5.1% of Chevy Suburbans and 4.9% of Ford Expeditions on the road have reached the 200,000 milestone.
These are the longest-lasting cars in America:
| Vehicle | Over 200k Miles |
|---|---|
| Toyota Land Cruiser | 16.3% |
| Toyota Sequoia | 11.2% |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 5.1% |
| Ford Expedition | 4.9% |
| Toyota 4Runner | 4.1% |
| Toyota Avalon | 3.9% |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 3.9% |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 3.8% |
| Toyota Tundra | 3.7% |
| GMC Yukon XL | 3.6% |
| Honda Ridgeline | 3.4% |
| GMC Yukon | 3.3% |
| Honda Odyssey | 2.9% |
| Toyota Tacoma | 2.8% |
| Lincoln Navigator | 2.6% |
| Toyota Prius | 2.6% |
Click here to read about America’s safest cars.
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